Thursday, October 31, 2013

Lithuania and Russia are connected by the Queen Louise's Bridge over Nemunas River at Panemune (in Lituania) and Sovetsk (Russia).

The bridge is named after the Prussian Queen who in 1807 brokered a peace between Napoleon, Czar Alexander I and Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III, on a raft on the river Memel. It is probably the best-known landmark of modern Tilsit or Sovetsk.

At this boundary Russia has changed side a few times politically. Until 1918-1920 Russia was on the northern side, but after the end of World War II she appeared on the southern side. At that time Lithuania was occupied and became officially a Soviet republic. Since 1991 Lithuania is an independent country.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Ella, sent me this pretty
card with a picture of a Rowan tree. Now, therowansormountain-ashesare shrubs or small
trees in genusSorbusof familyRosaceae. They are native
throughout the cool temperate regions of theNorthern Hemisphere.

The best-known species is the European RowanSorbus aucuparia, a
small tree typically 4–12 m tall growing in a variety of habitats throughout
northernEuropeand in mountainsin southern Europe and southwestAsia. Its berries are a favourite food for many
birds and are a traditional wild-collected food inBritainandScandinavia. It is
one of the hardiestEuropeantrees,
occurring to 71° north inVardøin
ArcticNorway, and has also become widelynaturalisedin northernNorth America.

Rowans are excellent small ornamental trees forparks,gardensandwildlifeareas. They are very
attractive to fruit-eating birds, which is reflected in the old name "bird
catcher".

Thewoodis dense and used for carving and turning and for tool handles
and walking sticks.Rowan fruit are a
traditional source oftanninsformordantingvegetable dyes.In Finland, it has been a traditional wood of choice for horse sled shafts
and rake spikes.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

This
card that Irene sent me
shows guards at TheNational
Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine, whichis ashrineinZhongshan District,Taipei,Taiwan, dedicated to the war dead of the Republic of China.

Built on Chingshan Mountain and overseeing theKeelung Riverin Taipei'sZhongshan Districtin 1969, the Martyrs
Shrine recalls the architecture of theHall of Supreme HarmonyinBeijing'sForbidden City. The structure houses the spirit tablets of about 390,000 persons
killed, among other engagements, during theXinhai Revolution,Northern Expedition,Second Sino-Japanese War,Chinese Civil War, and theFirstandSecond Taiwan Strait Crises.A changing of thehonour guardfrom the various
branches of theRepublic of China Military, similar to the rituals at theSun Yat-sen Memorial HallandChiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, take place at the shrine.

The Martyrs' Shrine was the site of the funeral ofChiang Ching-kuoin 1988. On March 29
(Youth Day, commemorating theHuanghuagang Uprising) and September 3 (Armed
Forces Day) of every year thePresident of the Republic
of Chinaleads the heads of the
five Yuans (branches of government) to pay their respects to the martyrs by
bowing and offering incense.Similar shrines are located
in each locality in Taiwan, and similar ceremonies are led by county
magistrates and city mayors.

Although the Martyrs Shrine is located in Taiwan, most of the
soldiers were born on Mainland China. Taiwan was ruled by Japan throughout
World War II, and about 200,000 Taiwanese who lived under Japanese ruleserved in the Japanese Imperial Army.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Johnston's
Pier in Singapore, was a jetty, landing-platform
for the convenient arrival and departure of sea travellers. It once stood
opposite Fullerton Square, and Hong Kong Bank Building at Battery Road and
Collyer Quay. Built by the Municipal Commissioners, construction started in
early 1854 and was completed on 13 March
1856. In its time many famous dignitaries, including British Royalty and
other VIPs first set foot in Singapore on this pier. Johnston's Pier was named
after Alexander Laurie Johnston (b.
Dumfriesshire S Scotland - d. 19 February 1850, Bluehill. Kircudbright,
Scotland), oneof the earliest European settlers in Singapore.

A platform made of iron and wood, extending
from shore over water, and supported by piles and pillars, the wide platform of
the pier reached out to the sea. These landing facilities included a 7-ton
crane costing $900. Initially, only the arrival/departure pier-end was covered,
and the increasing number of activity, made it necessary to be entirely
sheltered. Two handsome, stylishy designed ornamental lamp-posts, with fluted
columns, turn-over leaves, and four copper lanterns were ordered from England
to add a bit of elegance to its entrance. Another red lamp used to hang at the
end of the pier, warning ships as it entered the harbour. Thus Johnston's Pier
was popularly known as Lampu Merah or "Red Lamp" in
Malay; and also, Ang Teng (the Hokkien, Chinese dialect name)
and Lampu Merah and, Ang Teng, also became the
name for Clifford Pier.

By the 1930s, the pier wasworn
outand the government decided to build a new one and name it
after Sir Clifford.

Friday, October 25, 2013

TheEduskunta is theparliamentofFinland. Theunicameralparliament has 200 members and meets in theParliament HouseinHelsinki. The latestelectionto the parliament took place on April 17, 2011.
The card on display shows the Parliament House.

Parliament Houseis the
seat of theParliament of Finland. It is located in theFinnishcapital ofHelsinki, in the district ofTöölö.In 1923 a competition was held to choose a site for a new
Parliament House. Arkadianmäki, a hill beside what is nowMannerheimintie, was chosen as the
best site. The architectural competition which was held in 1924 was won by the
firm of Borg–Sirén–Åberg with a proposal called Oratoribus (Latinfor "for the speakers").Johan Sigfrid Sirén(1889–1961), who was mainly
responsible for preparing the proposal, was given the task of designing
Parliament House. The building was constructed 1926–1931 and was officially
inaugurated on March 7, 1931. Ever since then, and especially during theWinter WarandContinuation
War, it has been the scene of many key moments in the nation's political life.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Notre-Dame de Paris(for "Our Lady of Paris"), also known asNotre-Dame Cathedralor simplyNotre-Dame, is an historic Catholiccathedralon the eastern half of theÎle de la Citéin thefourth arrondissementofParis,France.The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest
examples ofFrenchGothic
architectureand among the largest and
most well-knownchurch buildingsin the world. Thenaturalismof its sculptures and stained glassare in contrast with earlierRomanesque architecture.

As thecathedralof theArchdiocese of Paris, Notre-Dame is the parish
that contains thecathedra, or official chair, of
thearchbishop of Paris, currently ArchbishopAndré
Vingt-Trois.The cathedral treasury is notable for itsreliquarywhich houses some ofCatholicism'smost importantfirst-class relics including the purportedCrown of Thorns, a fragment of theTrue Cross, and one of theHoly Nails.

In the 1790s, Notre-Dame suffereddesecrationduring the radical phase
of theFrench Revolutionwhen much of its religious
imagery was damaged or destroyed. An extensiverestorationsupervised byEugène Viollet-le-Ducbegan in 1845. A project
of further restoration and maintenance began in 1991.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Let me tell you first that
the correct Oxford transliteration for the Russian word борщ is not borscht, but borshch. There are as many variations of borshch as there are cooks in the former Soviet Union. Its origins are Ukrainian, but it has
become a staple dish of Russia. Some
like it hot. Some prefer a cold version. It could be meat-based, or meat-free.

I had lots and lots of it
when I lived in Vladivostk a long long time ago. But, that’s another story.

If you are really interested in the actual cooking method of the dish shown on the card sent to me by my friend from the Urals Olya, do contact me.

Monday, October 21, 2013

This card sent
to me by Renata gives a view of Gediminas Avenue as seen
towards the Cathedral Square in Vilnius where she lives.

Gediminas Avenueis the main street ofVilnius, where most of the
governmental institutions ofLithuaniaare concentrated, including the government,parliament,Constitutional Courtand ministries. It is also
the place of cultural institutions such asLithuanian National Drama Theatre,Bank of Lithuania,Lithuanian Academy of Music and TheatreandMartynas Mažvydas National
LibraryNowadays it is also a
popular shopping and dining street. It is partially apedestrian streetin the evenings when the
traffic is prohibited.

Named after
theGrand Duke of LithuaniaGediminas, the street terminates at
theŽvėrynas Bridgeover theNeris RivernearSeimas Palaceon one end and at theCathedral SquareandVilnius Castle Complexon the other, passing theLukiškės Square. It connects theOld TownwithŽvėrynas.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Why do the Northern Lights occur? A brief explanation of what happens according to me is, that,The Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights are caused when charged
particles from the Sun collide with atoms and molecules in the Earth’s
atmosphere at altitudes between 100 and 250 kms. Due to the collision, oxygen
and nitrogen emit what is seen by us as auroral light. These lights are mostly
seen in the areas north of the Arctic Circle, and rarely, below the Circle, and
then only sometimes.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

San Antonio (Spanish for "Saint Anthony") is the seventh most populous city in the United States of America and the second most populous city in the state of Texas, with a population of 1.3 million

San Antonio was named for Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day is on June 13, when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691.Famous for Spanish missions, the Alamo, the River Walk, the Tower of the Americas, the Alamo Bowl, Marriage Island and host to SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme parks. The city is home to the four-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and theannual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, one of the largest in the country.

San Antonio has a strong military presence—it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base (which constitute Joint Base San Antonio), Lackland AFB/Kelly Field Annex and Brooks City-Base, with Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley outside the city. Kelly Air Force Base operated out of San Antonio until 2001, when the airfield was transferred over to Lackland AFB .

The picture on the card sent to me by Diane Marie of San Antonio is that of The famous San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of Downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants, the River Walk is an important part of the city's urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right.

Today, the River Walk is an enormously successful special-case pedestrian street, one level down from the automobile street. The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting the major tourist draws from the Alamo to River centre Mall, to the Arneson River Theatre, to Marriage Island, to La Villita, to Hemis Fair Park, to the Tower Life Building, to the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Pearl Brewery. During the annual springtime Fiesta San Antonio, the River Parade features flowery floats that "float" down the river.

Friday, October 18, 2013

This is a typical scene on the West coast of South Island, New Zealand. I believe driving along the coast here is superb, though it does get quite wet at times. One can see the native Punga ferns and rushes framing the picture on this card sent to me by Aaron. This is a scene from the Paparoa National Park Area. Melville Bay is in the distance.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

This card was sent to me by Melanie from Rastatt, a city and baroque residence in theDistrict of Rastatt,Baden-Württemberg,Germany. It is located on theMurgriver, 6 km (3.7 mi) above its junction with theRhineand has a population of around 50'000 (2011). Rastatt was
an important place of theWar
of the Spanish Succession(Treaty
of Rastatt) and theRevolutions
of 1848 in the German states. This town is in
Southern Germany but, North of the famous Black Forest.

Maybe,
you know of the Black Forest gateau? You see the two pretty women in
this picture on the card. The ones in the traditional costumes! They are in the
colours of the cake. The redhat for the lovely cherries, the white
shirts represent whipped cream and the dark dresses for the
chocolate cake itself. Delicious (the cake of course J).

What
exactly is this cake? Typically, Black
Forest cake consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped
cream and cherries between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with
additional whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. In some
European traditions sour cherries are used both between the layers and for
decorating the top. Traditionally, Kirschwasser (a clear liquor distilled from
tart cherries) is added to the cake, although other liquors are also used (such
as rum, which is common in Austrian recipes). In the United States, Black
Forest cake is most often prepared without alcohol. German statutory
interpretation states Kirschwasser as a mandatory ingredient, otherwise the
cake is legally not allowed to be marketed as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. True
Black Forest cakes are decorated with black cherries. A small tip: if black
cherries are not available, use glacee cherries dipped in melted chocolate.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

This maxi card was issued on 9.10.2013 at Turku, Finland to commemorate
Philately Day or “Stamp Day”as the locals in Turku call it. The stamp is a
personalised one by the Post Offices in Turku. The sailing vessel featured on
this card is the famous SS Soumen Joutsen, better and more affectionately known
as the “Swan of Finland”. Thank you Pia for this nice card.

The Finnish Training Ship Suomen Joutsen is featured on this
stamp on the FDC commemorating the Tall Ship Race in 1972.
Suomen Joutsen (Swan of Finland in English) (former names are Laënnec, Oldenburg)
is a three-mast, steel hull, full rigged ship. She was built in 1902 in St.
Nazaire, France to serve in the trade between Atlantic and Pacific ports. In
1930 she was bought by the Government of Finland to serve as Finnish Navy
training ship. Before World War II she made eight long ocean voyages. From 1956
she was a stationary Seamen's School for the Finnish Merchant Navy. Since
1991, she has been a museum ship owned by City of Turku, Finland.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

This pretty maxicard was issued by Yugolavia on 15.5.1991 to commemorate the Regular Annual Conference of Heads of Government of the Working Community of the Danube region which was held in Belgrade from 15th to 17 May 1991.

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

David from France sent me this nice card. The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair, it has become both a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; 7.1 million people ascended it in 2011. The tower received its 250 millionth visitor in 2010. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, as I had the privilege of going up to the first level. And what a view it was from there. But, that was a long long time ago, and a fit tale for the grand children on a soon approaching winter’s evening!

The tower stands 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930. Because of the addition of the antenna atop the Eiffel Tower in 1957, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building by 17 feet (5.2 m). Not including broadcast antennas, it is the second-tallest structure in France, after the Millau Viaduct.

The tower has three levels for visitors. The third level observatory's upper platform is at 279.11 m (915.7 ft) the highest accessible to the public in the European Union. Tickets can be purchased to ascend, by stairs or lift (elevator), to the first and second levels. The walk from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. Although there are stairs to the third and highest level, these are usually closed to the public and it is usually accessible only by lift. The first and second levels have restaurants.

The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.

Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Aleksandrovsky Square is a small public garden in the heart of Minsk has a rich history and not by chance serves as the centre of “gravity” of a city life. And, in this card look at the car, we would call it a vintage model today.

Its official, faded name is the Central Square. Long ago people renamed it in its historical version - Aleksandrovsky, probably, due to closeness to the residence of the head of Belarus Aleksander Lukashenko.

One of the important sites in the town of Suzdal is the Convent of Intercession shown on this card. The convent was founded in 1264. In the centre of this beautiful white
walled convent is the cathedral of the Intercession; it was an add on built in
1518 by an unknown person. The interior of the cathedral has no paintings or
stained glass, it is just plan white stone walls all around. The church was and
still is, one of the richest convents in Russia. The convent is the home of many
nuns and is also the burial vault for twenty nuns of noble birth. Connected to
the white stoned wall cathedral is an art museum you can tour. There are many
beautiful paintings but none in the actual cathedral itself. This building is
filled with beautiful arches and art created in the 16th and 17th century.

Saturday, October 05, 2013

Heidelberg is a city in south-west Germany. The fifth-largest city in the State of Baden Württemberg after Stuttgart,Mannheim, Karlsruhe and Freiburg im Breisgau, Heidelberg is part of the densely populated Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. In 2011, over 149,000 people lived in the city. Heidelberg lies on the River Neckar in a steep valley in the Odenwald.

A former residence of theElectorate of the Palatinate, Heidelberg is the location ofHeidelberg University, well known far beyond Germany's borders. Heidelberg is a populartourist destinationdue to itsromanticand picturesque cityscape, includingHeidelberg Castleand thebaroque styleOld Town.

Friday, October 04, 2013

This interesting card was sent to me by Daniela from Austria. The Venus of Willendorf, now known in academia as the Woman of Willendorf, is an 11 cm (4.3 in) high statuette of a female figure estimated to have been made between 24,000 and 22,000 BCE. It was found in 1908 by a workman named Johann Veran or Josef Veram during excavations conducted by archaeologists Josef Szombathy, Hugo Obermaier and Josef Bayer at a paleolithic site near Willendorf, a village in Lower Austria near the city of Krems. It is carved from an oolitic limestone that is not local to the area, and tinted with red ochre. The "Venus of Willendorf" is now in the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria.

Several similar statuettes and other forms of art have been discovered, and they are collectively referred to as Venus figurines, although they pre-date the mythological figure of Venus by millennia.

After a wide variety of proposed dates, following a revised analysis of the stratigraphy of its site in 1990, the figure has been estimated to have been carved 24,000–22,000 BCE. Very little is known about its origin, method of creation, or cultural significance.

The purpose of the carving is the subject of much speculation. It never had feet and does not stand on its own. The apparent large size of the breasts and abdomen, and the detail put into the vulva, have led scholars to interpret the figure as a fertility symbol. The figure has no visible face, her head being covered with circular horizontal bands of what might be rows of plaited hair, or a type of headdress.

The nickname, urging a comparison to the classical image of "Venus," is now controversial. According to Christopher Witcombe, "the ironic identification of these figurines as 'Venus' pleasantly satisfied certain assumptions at the time about the primitive, about women, and about taste." Catherine McCoid and LeRoy McDermott hypothesize that the figurines may have been created as self-portraits.

Thursday, October 03, 2013

Paulista Avenue (Avenida Paulista in Portuguese, Paulista being the gentilic for those born in São Paulo state) is one of the most important avenues in São Paulo, Brazil. The 2.8 kilometre thoroughfare is notable for headquartering a large number of financial and cultural institutions, as well as being home to an extensive shopping area and to Latin America's most comprehensive fine-art museum, MASP. Since the 1960s, the avenue has been identified as one of the main business centers in the city. Being one of the highest points in São Paulo, it is distinctively clustered with radio and TV stations antennae, such as Gazeta's. The road is served by a subway line and many major bus routes. The avenue, which was inaugurated in December 1891, is generally regarded as the most expensive real estate anywhere in Latin America.Thank you Sarah for this card.

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Located in the Bachelor’s Wing of George W. Vanderbilt’s country chateau, the Billiard Room was a place where men would retire after dinner to smoke and play billiards. True to Victorean fashion, women rarely, if ever, entered this male domain.

The Billiard Room, part of Biltmore House’s Bachelor's Wing. Decorated with an ornamental plaster ceiling and rich oak paneling the Billiard Room was equipped with both a pool table and a carom table (table without pockets.) This room was mostly an attraction to men, yet welcoming the ladies if they chose to stop by. Secret door panels on either side of the fireplace led to the private quarters of the Bachelors’ Wing.

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

THIS CARD HIGHLIGHTS THE COMMON SENSE OF THE STUPID, CALLOUS AND ILLITERATE POSTAL WORKER IN THE NEW DELHI POST OFFICE WHO STAMPED THIS CARD THE WAY HE DID.

Mount Fujilocated on Honshu Island, is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft). An active strato-volcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about 100 kilometres (60 mi) south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone, which is snow-capped several months a year, is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers. It is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku; it is a Special Place of Scenic Beauty, a Historic Site, and was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site on June 22nd, 2013.

The mountain has been selected as a “cultural” rather than a “natural” heritage site. As per UNESCO, Mount Fuji has “inspired artists and poets and been the object of pilgrimage for centuries”. The 25 locations include the mountain itself, Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha and six other Sengen shrines, two lodging houses, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Kawaguchi, the eight Oshino Hakkai hot springs, two lava tree molds, the remains of the Fuji-kō cult in the Hitoana cave, Shiraito Falls, and Miho no Matsubara pine tree grove.

Translate in your own language

About Me

Hi, I am Vijay Kapre. Its nice collecting picture postcards. They tell you so much about the people and places around us. Happy Viewing. Those who want to contact me my email address is kaprevijay@gmail.com.